A pureed soup is a great way to introduce new foods to a child that might be sensitive to the texture of a new ingredient in its whole form. Plus, apples are their own little medicine cabinet! Apples contain pectin, which help soothe the stomach and are packed with antioxidants to help our cells maintain a healthy immune system. Roasting all these ingredients brings out a sweet depth of flavor. The addition of a bit of rice is a trick learned in culinary school to add creaminess to a blended soup without adding dairy.   

While the ingredient chopping should obviously be left to an adult or older child, a younger child can help wash the vegetables before prepping them and toss the ingredients with the oil and spices and help spread out on a baking sheet. Finding small ways to engage children in the kitchen not only builds their culinary language but also allows them to discover their likes and dislikes in food preferences. 

Find more ways to engage your child in the kitchen based on their developmental stage in this helpful PDF made by MyPlate.gov.

Roasted Apple Butternut Squash Soup

Yields 2 Quarts

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ ground ginger
2 unpeeled apples, seeded, quartered cut into 2" pieces
1 peeled carrot cut into 1" cubes
1 large shallot, peeled and cut into 2" pieces
4 heaping cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1" cubes
6 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp white rice
Lemon juice to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger. Add apples, parsnip, shallot, and squash and toss until well coated in oil and spices. Spread vegetables out in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 30–40 minutes.
3. In a medium size pot, bring vegetable broth and rice to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes until rice is tender.
4. Add roasted vegetables to the pot of broth. Using an immersion blender (or transfer contents to a stand blender), blend to a smooth consistency.
5. Season and add a squeeze of lemon juice to taste.

Our monthly recipes were developed for the "Kids Can Plate" cooking class series and from Amy's years of teaching in the Healing Garden kitchen. These largely plant-based and whole food recipes are great to share with your family by cooking with them or treating them.